A new (or freshly-restored) electronic device usually needs to be activated before it can be used. The activation process can typically involve, for example, initializing some basic settings (e.g., date/time, language), security (e.g., username, password), and/or other system and network settings (e.g., phone number, network account) associated with the device. Some devices (e.g., smartphones) require a network connection for at least part of the activation process to, for example, register with and receive confirmation from a network server and/or download data from a network. However, the activation process can be a challenge for devices restricted by their limited network capabilities and other limitations.